Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-03-25
CHAPTER XVIII.
A NARROW ESCAPE.

CHAPTER XVIII.
" a NARROW ESCAPE. . y.
DR.. Shaw had to use q, moral per-
suasion, which trenched on physical
force, to draw me inside the door of St.
Bartimeus's, so eager was ] to get upon
the track Of the miscreant who was re-
sponsible for Mary Fortescue's safety.
Come, come," said Shaw, in that
peculiarly persuasive voice which seems
to belong by right to members Of the
medical profession; s.for the present
nothing can be done, and you win be
filter for . task which may tax all our
energies, aftera little rest here, than if
you spend your time driving about, and
pacing the dark platform Of an empty
railway station"
I felt that he was strongly, loyalty
interested in the matter. There was.
that in DR.. Shaw's manner, there is
still, I should rather say. which inspires
trust, because you feel that there is no
attempt at fooling you. Some doctors
whom I know, worthy men, too, handi-
cap their earnest moments of feeling
by making no difference between their
way Of soothing fretful patient and
the reinsurance they convey to a
reasonable man. Shaw's manner is,
like himself, dependable. He was not
merely trying to coax me to rest, he
felt sure that the repose he recommend
ed would not be in any way prejudicial
to the interests which had at heart.
yielded with the best grace I could
muster to his persuasions, and in a
short time we were seated in his sane
tum, where the smouldering fire, with a
little care, soon gave signs of a cheer
full vitality. There was neat and
choice little supper left upon the table.
"You are probably too excited to
sleep just now" said Shaw so you
may as well eat something" ST. e.
felt, to nv own surprise, no dis
inclination to this proposition.
"You see,'' said Shaw, "according
to your idea, there is every reason to
trust Mrs. Hardy information. If it be
accurate. Plowitz cannot cross to Ant
werp till tomorrow, or rather, as it is
now past three, this evening. From
what I gather of Miss Fortescue's
character, she is overawed and helpless
and will shrink from making a scene
so long as Plowitz treats her with out
ward Difference. .y.., T.:
That was felt, quiet true. I could
imagine the polite cruelty with which
he would speak for her, misrepresent
her, and, probably, enlist sympathy for
her, from the very people who, if they
could but read the facts of the case,
would gladly come between
him and his prey As we
ate light supper, Shaw
derived from me additional information
upon some points which / had not
previously made sufficiently clear, and
gave me great, and, I could not but
think, reasonable eucourageme
1T is not Plowitz's interest to resort
to desperate measures" he observed.
4tHe evidently hopes in some way to
compel her to consent to his suit; but
if we act with discretion, as well as
with vigour, do not see that any
actual harm or danger is to be antici-
pated. At any rate, we are on the
right track w
Suppose said I, ''that note was a
forgery trick of the Basilisk's to put
us on the wrong track2" S.
lit would disappoint our hopes, but
it would not make our difficulties
greater than if we had not received
such information. The excellent Rose
bush will have all the railway stations
watched, depend upon it. The gravest
inference, if that note be a forgery, will
be that Miss Beaufoy has discovered
Mrs. Hardy's sympathy with you and
Miss Fortestcue. ffs
just as he finished speaking, we
started and looked at one another.
There was the sound Of a footstep
crunching the gravel on the drive.
It came nearer; it mounted the steps
to the door.
Now, who in the name of wonder"
said Shaw, ..can this be, at three in the
morning?''a
The bell was rung by a careful hand,
and knocking, apparently with
knuckles. on the door followed.
. 'sThat must be Anthony said Shaw
"a the porter .s
We went together to open the door,.